Habitat - Indoor

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:34 pm **water heater broke**

so i was cleaning my tank and i noticed the bottom of the water heater tube broke ]=

money down the drain,now i dont have anything to keep the water at normal temperature,will the basking lamp heat the water up a bit?
im worried because i usually turn off my lamp around 11 at night, and my mom doesnt turn off the AC and i dont want the poor little guys to freeze.

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 7:23 pm

You must replace the heater. Get one that is not glass. Stealth heaters come to mind....

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:14 pm

When you're cleaning the tank, do you drain all the water out? If you drain the water, but leave power to the heater on, the heater will get really really hot while out of the water. Then, when you put fresh cold water back into the tank and it hits the hot heater, if the heater's glass it will break. If the heater's not glass it will still overheat terrifically and could burn you or your turtle.

So the rule is.....BEFORE you take the water out of the tank, unplug or turn off the heater.

Of course I'm speaking from personal experience here. I had a similar experience with a hot light bulb....but that's another story

Much less risk with a non-glass heater like a Stealth. Also, if your heater is glass your turtle will probably express his aggression by biting the glass heater some day, with predictably bad results. That's another disaster you can avoid with a Stealth.

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:27 pm

I *think* the ebo jagers are made of pyrex and tronic has stainless steel ones. visitherm stealths are thermal plastic. all of these are highly reputable.

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:13 pm

how much are stealth heaters?

& where can i find some,(im strapped for cash by the way)

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:36 pm

All the major chains sell them, as do some of the better pet shops. If I recall, you are dealing with only 10 gals., correct?
look here:
http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product ... 13811.aspx
The 50 watt job is on sale for $16.97
You're in miami right?
look here:
http://www.petco.com/petco_Page_PC_stor ... r-_-locate
Find the one closest to you and pick one up...

Make sure you compleatly submerge it, and unplug it when doing a water change!

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:52 pm

Here's what I found from PetSmart. PetSmart on-line prices are lower than in-store prices, but I've seen on here that a store will match the on-line price if you bring them some sort of proof - screen print, I suppose.

Stealth:
50-Watt: for aquariums up to 15 gallons (measures 8.25 inches in length)
100-Watt: for aquariums up to 30 gallons (measures 10 inches in length)
200-Watt: for aquariums up to 55 gallons (measures 13.75 inches in length)
250-Watt: for aquariums up to 75 gallons (measures 15 inches in length)

Prices from $16.99 to $20.99

Eheim Jager:
from 50-Wat for aquariums 10 - 15 gals to 250-Watt for aquariums over 90 gals, prices from $22.99 to $32.99

PetSmart wasn't selling the Tronics. Bigalsonline.ca has them along with the others but the prices were all higher than at PetSmart.

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:34 pm

allright thanks alot you guy's i apreciate your help!

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:36 pm

actuallly one more question, is theyre anyway of keeping the water warm,on the meantime because its gonna be a couple of days before i get another water heater!

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:41 pm

Can you warm up the air temperature? Maybe close the AC vent in the turtle room, or open a window? I see you're a Floridian. Ambient air outside ought to be plenty warm. What's the air temperature normally in your house?

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:42 pm

You asked about water temp, I replied with air temp. What I was thinking was that if the air temp's warm it should also warm the water.

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:46 pm

the AC is around 60!

and its hot and miserable outside, you have NO idea...

i dont know im just worried about my little guy's i hate sleeping knowing that theyre cold /=

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:51 pm

60's pretty cold for a little turtle.

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:54 pm

yeah i know ]=

but i was thinking, maybe i can leave the basking light all day/night long till i get the heater.

does it sound like a good idea?

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:06 pm

Does you turtle have a cave or something in his tank he could go into where it would be dark? Or maybe underneath his basking platform would be dark enough.

Also, you could put some sort of cover - maybe some plastic wrap - over the part of the tank that isn't directly under the basking light to help hold in the warm air.

Habitat - Indoor :: water heater broke

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